Archive for December, 2007

Read This. Be a Good Communicator.

Dec 30

I can’t get simpler than that. It’s about creating simple messages that work.

The Ultimate Pay for Performance Song: Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Dec 25

I was watching this Bruce Springsteen version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town and came to a realization: It’s the ultimate pay for performance song. Look at the lyrics:

You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I’m telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
He’s making a list
And checking it twice;
Gonna find out Who’s naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you’re sleeping
He knows when you’re awake
He knows if you’ve been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!
O! You better watch out!
You better not cry
Better not pout
I’m telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
Santa Claus is coming to town

If you could make your pay-for–performance message this tight you’d be in like Flynn.

Merry Christmas. And happy pay for performance.

Queen Elizabeth Will Deliver Her Christmas Message on YouTube. And Your Managers are Still Having Their Emails Printed?

Dec 23

In a sure sign that social media has come of age, Queen Elizabeth II will deliver her annual Christmas message on YouTube. Which makes me wonder why any company lets managers get away with the “I’m old school” approach to communication. Technology is here, my friends. Put down your buggy whips. And welcome to the 21st Century.

Managers who don’t know how to use technology to communicate in the next few years are going to wake up one day “pursuing other opportunities.” If the Queen of England can do it, they can too.

HR's Big Job? Help Managers Be Better Managers

Dec 19

I read this post on Wednesdays Off about a bad manager that started this way:

My boss’s style of management is, shall we say, unique? His idea of building team work is to irritate each of us until we band together as a group , united by our common goal of making a voodoo doll in his image.

You need to read the rest of the story. It just gets better.

I know we have a lot of jobs to do in HR. But one of the most important is to help managers be better managers, not look for management workarounds because “our managers aren’t up to the task.”

UPDATE: Michelle Malay Carter at Mission Minded Management has a super post about this titled Managerial Leadership: What Doesn’t Get Measured, Doesn’t Get Done.

An HR Joke for the Small Business Owner

Dec 17

I got this one from the Guillaume International News Service:

A man owned a small farm in Indiana. The Indiana State Wage & Hour Department claimed he was not paying proper wages to his help and sent an agent out to interview him.

“I need a list of your employees and how much you pay them,” demanded the agent.

“Well,” replied the farmer, “there’s my farm hand who’s been with me for 3 years. I pay him $200 a week plus free room and board. The cook has been here for 18 months, and I pay her $150 per week plus free room and board. Then there’s the half-wit who works about 18 hours every day and does about 90% of all the work around here. He makes about $10 per week, pays his own room and board, and I buy him a bottle of bourbon every Saturday night. He also sleeps with my wife occasionally.”

“That’s the guy I want to talk to….the half-wit,” says the agent.

“That would be me,” replied the farmer.

I know the feeling. I’m an HR farmer.

123
  • About KnowHR

    KnowHR serves up straight talk about human resources, communication and technology. Our goal is to help you make work better. Brought to you by IFRACTAL.

  • Featured Product

  • Sign up for KnowHR

    Want to receive KnowHR via email? Sign up now for our weekly KnowHR Newsletter.

  • Social Media

    • twitter
    • Facebook
    • Flickr
    • tumblr
    • youtube
    • vimeo
    • linkedin
  • Flickr

    • Bethany at IFRACTAL uses the Labyrinth as inspiration to practice contact juggling with an orange
    • We ring in success with the IFRACTAL cow bell
    • Charlie at IFRACTAL is suspended in midair above Chicago at the Sears Tower
    • Sarah at IFRACTAL has a thing for Pringles
    • Andy at IFRACTAL is pumped up for work this Monday
    • Farewell to Steve and Zack, the IFRACTAL interns!
    • Steph and Jess at IFRACTAL kicking it with Spiderman!
    • Furley working up a sweat at IFRACTAL
    • Pat at IFRACTAL says "Hail to the victors valiant!" #mgoblue
    • Shanna's accessories are nerfing to joke about at IFRACTAL!
    • Pat's a sweetheart, but she sure whips up some mean lunches in the IFRACTAL kitchen
    • Jess and Steve scream for ice cream at IFRACTAL!
    • Shanna at IFRACTAL is pretty in pink, pretty badass that is!
    • We know about presentation at IFRACTAL
    • Charlie in his new Do-Rag is handling business at IFRACTAL
    • Frank and Jess at IFRACTAL fall victim to a Candy Coma